Vacuum machine



Aug. 14, 1934.

N. P. BACH VACUUM MACHINE Filed Sept. 17. 1931 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR ATTOR N. P. BACH VACUUM MACHINE Aug. 14, 1934.

Filed Sept. 17. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR ATTORN tially along .the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Patented `Aug'. 14, 1934 UNITED STATES 1.969,7;7 VACUUM Macrmm Neils P. Bach, Geneva, N. Y., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 17, 1931, Serial No. 563,320

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine or apparatus for vacuumizing containers and hasA particular reference to a container carrier valve and associated valve seat for such a machine.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character utilizing a iloating or laterally shiftable rotating valve for conveying cans into or out of a vacuum chamber and for closing the vacuum chamber, the valve seat associated therewith having a yielding wall section partially surrounding the valve and assisting, in cooperation With atmospheric pressure, in properly holding the valve while allowing for expansion caused by heating under operating conditions.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a vacuum pipe unit connecting with the yielding wall of the valve seat of such a machine which allows full yielding movement while maintaining unbroken connection between a source of vacuum and certain of the pockets of the valve.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a vacuumizing connection with a yielding valve seat wall wherein cans carried within pockets of a valve are subjected to progressively increasing vacuum prior to their introduction into a vacuum chamber.

An important object of the invention is' the provision of a vacuum valve seat which is so formed as to closely cooperate with a rotating valve and to maintain such cooperation while allowing for expansion and slight shifting -of the valve.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a. loose coupling between a oating valve of a vacuumizing machine of the character described and an actuating, rotating driving element which allows for the-proper iloating action of the valve to maintain correct sealing of the vacuum chamber. y

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the vacuum chamber. Where the valve is an entrance Fig. 4 is a plan view of the valve seat;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional details taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4 and illustrating different steps in the preparation of a valve seat having a yielding wall; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View of the valve seat after it has been prepared for the reception of a valve, the view being taken substantially along the broken line 7-7 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings there are disclosed only suicient of the elements of a vacuumizing machine to exemplify features of the present invention. This includes a suitable casing for enclosing a vacuum chamber having an opening through which cans pass into or out of the chamber. A rotating can carriervalve having can pockets is mounted adjacent the opening in the casing and is partially surrounded by a valve se'at member having a corresponding opening for passage of the cans.

This valve seat in the present embodiment is preferably formed as a single casting and is prepared in a unique manner, for the reception of the valve. This is done to provide a yielding section in the valve seatvwall which has two principal uses. First, the springing characteristic is utilized to partially hold the valve against rigid contact surfaces of the valve seat and to assist atmospheric pressure in holding the valve member in proper operating position relative to the vacuum chamber. A second advantage provided by this yielding construction is the automatic cornpensation of the valve seat to the valve when the latter expands under operation.

'Ihe yielding wall section of the valve seat is provided with spaced openings with which are connected branches of a vacuum pipe unit which maintains communication with a source of vacuum. 'I'hese branches are interconnected in flexible joints so that no restriction is offered to movement of the valve seat. These pipe branches by reason of the relative positions of the spaced .openings and their restricted sizes, provide for progressive vacuumization of the pockets of the rotating valve and the cans carried therein. In

other words a can iirst introduced into the valve 00 lil valve, as shown in the drawings. the cans will be open or if covers have been applied they will only loosely t on the cans so as to permit extraction of the air from their interior. A valve seat member 25 is provided and issuitably connected with the casing 21.

This valve seat member is provided with an arcuate wall 26 extending adjacent an opening 27 formed in the seat member in alignment with the opening 23 of the vacuum chamber. The valve seat member also has a yielding wall 28 extending as a continuation of one side or the wall 26.

A rotating valve member 31 is used as the can carrying element and is formed with can pockets 32 into which the cans 24 are deposited in any suitable manner. This valve 31 rotates within the valve seat member 25 and its outer peripheral wall 33 moves in contact with the walls 25, 28 of the seat. Valve 31 carries a short vertically ein tending shaft 84 which projects upwardly iron: the top surface of the valve, the lower end of the shaft terminating short of the bottom of the valve. The valve 31 rests upon and is supported. by a disc 37 having a hub 38 which engages the up'a per surface of a bearing 39 formed in a bottom wall 41 of the valve seat member 25.

The disc 37 is 'formed with an upwardly projecting annular ange 43 (Figs. 2 and 3) which engages the valve 31. The bottom of the valve 31 carries downwardly projecting lugs 44 which extend and have slight sliding movement within slots 45 cut transversely across the ange 43. This permits shifting of the valve 31 in one direction relative to the disc 37.

'I'he valve 31 is rotated through the intermediacy of a, vertically extending shaft 51 mounted below and in axial alignment-with the shaft 34, the shaft 51 being journaled for rotation within a bearing 52 carried. by a housing l53 projecting outwardly from the casing 21. The shaft 51 carries at its lower end a gear 54 which provides a, connection for any suitable driving element. A gear 55 is shown for the purpose of schematically indicating a part of such a driving mechanism., the gears 54, 55 meshing together as shown. The shaft 51 may be enlarged at 57 to forni a support- A ing ledge which is carried upon the upper end of the bearing 52.

Shaft 51 at its upper end carries a block 61 which extends through transverse slots 62 formed in the hub 38 of the disc 37. These slots 62 are at right angles to the slots 45 and permit lateral shifting between the disc 37 andthe head 61 and shaft 51. `This sliding connection between the block 61 and its slot 62 together with the similar sliding connection .between the lugs 44 and their slots 45, provide a universal joint. -These two sliding connections are shown in Fig. 3 in their respective relationships, the parts 61, 62 being inside of and having sliding movement at right angles to the parts 44, 45. A oating, driving connection for the valve 31 results, this joint permitting free lateral, horizontal movement between the valve and the shaft.

An ejecting arm 71 is associated with each valve pocket 32 being secured to the lower end of a verti'calshaft 72 extending throughthe valve. Each arm 71 (Figs. 1 andf2) moves within a slot 73 cut in the valve and provides a recess in which the arm' can remain during part of the time. A corresponding arm 74 isvsecured 'to the upper end of each shaft 72 and carries a cam roller 75 which operates within a cam groove 76 formedin a face cam 77 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 34 vnectingI bridge at the saw lines 97.

being held in position on an enlarged intermediete section 78 of the shaft 34. A collar 79 surrounds the shaft 34 and holds the cam in proper position on the shaft.

This cam 77 is not rigidly held but has slight shifting movement relative to the casing 21. For this purpose it is formed with a projecting lug 81 which extends within a slot 82 of a block 83 secured to the valve seat 25. This loose connection of the cam with the stationary frame prevents its rotation and allows lateral or horizontal shifting of the shaft 34 and the valve 31.

Where valve 31 is used as an entrance or feedin valve it is desirable that provision be made :for evacuating the valve pockets 32 and the cans contained therein during their passage into the vacuum chamber. For this purpose a vacuum pipe unit is provided as disclosed in Fig. 1. lThis unit preferably comprises a main pipe connecting with any suitable source of vacuum, one end of the pipe threadedly engaging with a T, one arm of which is threadedly secured to a nipple 84 communicating with an opening leading into the vacuum chamber. The opposite arm of the 'i' connects with a nipple 85 which communicates by a :ilegible connection 86 with a vacuum pipe branch 87 connecting with an opening 88 formed in the Wall 28. This branch 87 is also connected by means of a flexible member 89 with a second branch 91 communicating with an opening 92 formed in the wall 28 and spaced from the opening 88. In similar manner a third branch 93 may be'connected by a exible pipe 94 with the second branch 91, this third branch communieating with an opening 95 formed in the valve wall 28 and spaced from the opening 92.

Such a. vacuum pipe unit permits yielding of the wall 28 under the expansion of the valve 31 andk allows for the .proper individual shifting of the branches'87, 91, 93. Cans conveyed by the valve 3l are vacuumized gradually by means of this vacuum vpipe unit, the restricted areas of the openings 88, 92, 95 cooperating with a proper and regulated rate of rotation of the valve 31 for this purpose. In other words a valve pocket 32 and a can therein are caused to be only partially evacuated through the branch line 93 as the pocket passes the opening 95. As this pocket comes into communication with the secondV opening 92, further evacuation takes place through the branch 91. Increase of vacuumization continues as the pocket communicates with the opening 88, a still further amount of air being removed from can and pocket. Thus a gradually increasing or progressive withdrawal of the air from `the can takes place vas it is conveyed toward the vacuu chamber.

The yielding character of the wall 28 of the valve seat 25 may be obtained a very simple manner, preferably during the formation of the valve seat. This valve seat 25 is cast in a single piece with its walls 26, 28 in substantially aren-- ate form (Fig. 4), the outer end of the wall 28 connecting with the bottom plate 41 as illustrated in Fig. 5. This connection is first broken by sawing along the dotted lines 97.

The wall is then pulled outwardly into the position illustrated in Fig.. 6 preparatory. to machining the inner valve engaging surfaces. It is held in this position by a bolt 98 vpassed through lan opening 99 formed in the bottom plate 41 and the bolt is threadedly engaged withina recess 101 formed inthe wall.` A washer 102 may be used to iill the space formed by the removal of the con- When in this held position, the `inner faces of the walls 26, 28 are machined to substantially the normal diameter of the valve 31. This provides a smooth unbroken cylindrical wall surface. The bolt 98 may then be removed and a bolt having a smaller diameter may be inserted, the

smaller bolt diameter allowing for a certain amount of play within the opening 99. Thevalve 31 may now be inserted, the wall 28 being sprung outwardly to allow for the proper clearance. This outward position is indicated by the dotted lines 103 in Fig. 4, this being slightly exaggerated for clearer illustration. After insertion the natural elasticity in the wall 28 tends to move its outer free end inwardly and this forces the valve 31 against the presented walls of the valve seat and assists atmospheric pressure in holding the valve in proper working position. Y The permanent bolt substituted for the bolt 98 prevents excess yielding of the valve seat wall.

Upon expansion of the valve and its attendant lateral shifting, only sulicient yielding of the wall takes place to allow for such movement and the close fitting air tight joint between valve and valve seat is maintained. This shifting of the valve in no way disturbs the driving connection from the shaft 51 since the universal joint described allows for full variation. The flexible nature of the vacuum pipe unit allows for yielding of the wall 28 as previously described and a can carrier valve unit having greatly improved characteristics is thus obtained.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbfore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, and a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve and having a yielding Wall partially surrounding the outer side of said valve and pressing the' valve against an opposing face of said valve seat.

2. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve and having a movably yielding wall partially surrounding said valve at its outer side, means for'rotating said valve within said seat, and a floating connection between said valve and its rotating means for permitting pressure of said valve relative to said seat and valve seat wall.

3. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve and having a movably yielding wall partially surrounding said valve at its outer side, means for rotating said valve within said seat, a floating connection between said valve and its rotating means for permitting expansion of said valve and yielding movement of said valve seat wall, and flexible connecting means associated with the yielding wall of said valve seat for connecting said valve with a source of vacuum.

4. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers,

which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve and having a movably yielding wall partially surrounding said valve at its outer` side, said Wall being provided with a plurality of openings, and a vacuum. pipe unit having a plurality of branches for connecting said wall openings with a source of vacuum.

5. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve and having a movably yielding wall partially surrounding said valve at its outer side, said wall being provided with a plurality of openings, and a v acuum pipe unit having a plurality of branches for connecting said wall openings with a source of vacuum, said vacuum unit branches being exibly connected with the other parts of said pipe unit to permit yieldingmovement of said valve seat wall.

6. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers comprising, in combination, a casing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve mounted adjacent said opening, and a valve seat having its inner part connected to said casing and partially surrounding said valve, a section of said seat being movable and yieldingly pressing inward on the outer side and pressing said valve inwardly toward an opposing part of the valve seat contain-g ing said chamber opening.

7. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers comprising, in combination, a casing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having an opening therein, a cylindrical rotating can carrier valve mounted adjacent said opening, and a valve seat connected to said casing and having a wall engaging and partially surrounding the peripheral wall of said valve, a section of the engaging wall of said seat being movable for yieldingly pressing inwardly on the outer side of the valve and pressing said valve inwardly toward 4an opposing part of the valve seat and said chamber opening and for allowing expansion of said valve.

8. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers comprising, in combination, a casing enclosing a l vacuum chamber and having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve mounted adjacent said opening, a valve seat located exterior of said valve and providing an air tight connection with said casing opening, a surrounding wall of said seat engaging the peripheral wall-of said valve and having movable yielding movement inward relative to said casing, and flexible connecting means associated with the yielding wall of said valve seat for connecting said valve with a source of vacuum.

`9. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, which comprises a vacuum chamber having an opening therein, a rotating valve having can carrier pockets mounted adjacent said opening, a

valve seat interposed between said valve and said chamber and having an opening through which a can is moved when passing between said cham- '.ber opening and a said valve pocket, said' valve seat also having a yielding inwardly movable wall surrounding said valve and spaced from said seat opening and pressing the valve toward the seat opening, and flexible connecting means assothe cans carried by said valve to gradually in therein, a rotating can carrier valve for delivering cans into said chamber through said opening, a

valve seat interposed between said valve and said vacuum chamber and having a yielding inwardly movable wall partially surrounding said valve and pressing inwardly on the outer side of the valve,l and means connecting with said yielding wall and with a source of vacuum for subjecting creased vacuumizatiqn during their passage adja- ,v cent said wall.

11. In a vacuumizing apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber Ahaving an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for deliver- 

